Cornmeal-Dusted Fried Green Tomatoes with Spicy Remoulade

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-04-25

Tangy green tomato slices coated in a crunchy cornmeal crust and fried until golden, paired with a creamy and spicy remoulade sauce. This Southern American-inspired rice and grain recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 35 minutes, pairs salt, black pepper, all-purpose flour for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 large green tomatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• enough for shallow frying vegetable oil for frying
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

1. Step 1: Sprinkle 3 sliced green tomatoes with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, letting them rest for 10 minutes to draw out moisture.
2. Step 2: Set up a dredging station with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour in one bowl, 3/4 cup buttermilk in another, and a mixture of 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper in a third. Dip each tomato slice first into flour, then buttermilk, and finally coat well with the cornmeal mixture.
3. Step 3: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat to about 350°F, filling the pan about 1/2 inch deep. Fry the coated tomato slices in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, prepare the remoulade by whisking together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder until smooth. Serve fried green tomatoes warm with the spicy remoulade for dipping.